How local doctors and public health experts are reacting to Biden picking MGH’s Rochelle Walensky to head CDC

Doctors and public health experts are celebrating the news that President-elect Joe Biden has picked Rochelle Walensky, chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, to serve as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in his administration. 

The decision to appoint Walensky was confirmed Monday morning in a press release, along with a slew of other key appointments to Biden’s health team, including that Dr. Anthony Fauci will continue on as a chief medical adviser to the president on COVID-19 and keep his role as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 

Walensky will be replacing Dr. Robert Redfield, who was appointed to lead the CDC in 2018 by President Donald Trump. She will be taking on the role at a critical moment in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as cases continue to surge nationally and the states prepare for the distribution of vaccines that are awaiting FDA approval. Health experts have expressed concerns that the Trump administration has challenged, attacked, sidelined, and interfered with the CDC during the pandemic, hobbling its response to COVID-19. 

Doctors and experts were joyful in response to Walensky’s appointment on social media, with many saying her leadership will be pivotal as the pandemic continues and expressing hope that the MGH chief will restore the CDC to its previous reputation as a pre-eminent public health agency. 

“If you know Rochelle, you know how much better 2021 will be for the US #COVID19 response,” Harvard’s Michael Mina wrote. 

We are going to be in good hands!

Science, Reason, Care embody one of our nations leading ID physicians – now becoming CDC Director.

Congratulations @RWalensky!

If you know Rochelle, you know how much better 2021 will be for the US #COVID19 response.https://t.co/kTrr6v3sp2

— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) December 7, 2020

“This is the happiest a bunch of stressed out, overworked and tired infectious diseases providers and epidemiologists have been in nearly 12 months,” Josh Barocas, an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center, wrote. 

Below, see what other public health experts are saying about Walenksy’s appointment. 

Tonight’s news about @RWalensky leading the CDC is supercharging.

— Joseph Allen (@j_g_allen) December 7, 2020

Running @CDCgov complicated, especially in a crisis

You need to

1. Communicate with the American people
2. Run a sprawling organization
3. Understand, effectively use tools of public health

Lots of people can do one of these

No one I know can do all 3 as well as @RWalensky

— Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 7, 2020

This news has sent me into a sort of public health euphoria. It gives me such hope to know that someone as brilliant, kind, and fearless as @RWalensky will lead the restoration of our preeminent public health agency. Welcome back, @CDCgov! https://t.co/xQwu9ivgcL

— Julia Marcus, PhD, MPH (@JuliaLMarcus) December 7, 2020

There literally could not be a more inspired choice for CDC director than Rochelle Walensky. SUCH wonderful news for our country! @RWalensky

— Jason H. Wasfy, M.D. (@jasonwasfy) December 7, 2020

Light on the horizon!! Thrilled that @RWalensky has been named to Director of @CDCgov 👏

I’m so excited to see our nation’s preeminent #publichealth organization move back into its role as a leader of honest research, communication, & action
https://t.co/gKSfXn99uD

— Megan Ranney MD MPH 🗽 (@meganranney) December 7, 2020

I’m full of renewed hope for the future! Congratulations @RWalensky!! We’re lucky to have you at the helm as the country tackles COVID-19, ends the HIV epidemic and so much more! @HIVMA https://t.co/GLtDEhAozr

— Rajesh Gandhi (@RMKGandhi) December 7, 2020

This is incredible news!!!! She’s amazing!!! So well deserved. Wow! Girl power!!!!! @MGHMedicine @MassGeneralNews @RWalensky director of the @CDCgov https://t.co/pV5llPnOK7 pic.twitter.com/TslnrBixMj

— Nasrien E. Ibrahim, MD (@DrNasrien) December 7, 2020

So proud of the amazing choice @JoeBiden made in @RWalensky to lead the @CDCgov. She is a brilliant leader and exactly what we need right now. #Science #publichealth #COVID19 @NEJM @MGHMedicine @MassGeneralMDs @MassGeneralNews @MassGenBrigham https://t.co/mg8X656sDe

— Dr. David Rosman (@darosman) December 7, 2020

Seriously folks this is an inspired choice. Respected by her colleagues, adored by her friends, she is the ultimate combination of brilliance, compassion and exactly what we need right now. 2/

— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) December 7, 2020

I haven’t been this hopeful in MONTHS. @RWalensky is the perfect person to lead us out of the darkness of this pandemic. I’d follow her anywhere. She is an inspiration to all who know her. end/

— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) December 7, 2020